Jaffey farm airstrike

On 18 March 2024, a Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone conducted airstrikes targeting Jaffey farm (Somali: Beerta Jaffey), situated roughly three kilometers west of Bagdad village within Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region. The attacks occurred between 8:00 pm and 8:30 pm. The strike resulted in the deaths of 23 civilians, comprising 14 children, five women, and four men. Additionally, over 17 individuals sustained injuries, including 11 children, two women, and four men. All casualties belonged to the marginalized Gorgaarte clan.

Amnesty International has launched an investigation into two separate strikes that caused the deaths of 23 civilians during Somali military operations supported by Turkish drones, considering these incidents as potential war crimes.

According to survivors and local inhabitants, the drone attacks followed intense ground combat earlier that day involving the armed faction Al-Shabaab and the Somali Armed Forces near the villages of Jambalul and Bagdad.

Background

The Federal Government of Somalia has launched a major military campaign targeting the al-Qaeda-linked militant organization, Al-Shabaab, which maintains control over large portions of southern and central Somalia. This operation is spearheaded by the elite Danab Brigade, a unit that has undergone advanced training provided by the United States. Air support for this mission is supplied by both American and Turkish forces, reflecting a coordinated international effort to counter the threat posed by Al-Shabaab within Somalia.

The conflict between the Federal Government of Somalia and Al-Shabaab has resulted in severe consequences for civilians. Documentation from Amnesty International highlights that both factions have committed serious breaches of international humanitarian law. Their report specifically points to a series of drone strikes carried out by the United States Africa Command, which have caused civilian casualties. These events have sparked concerns about potential violations of international humanitarian norms by AFRICOM.

Deadly strikes

On March 18, 2024, Amnesty International interviewed an eyewitness who described the presence of Al-Shabaab combatants in Bagdad amid ongoing clashes. The witness recounted that an initial drone strike struck a mosque located on Bagdad’s eastern side at approximately 7:30 pm, demolishing the mosque and damaging adjacent residences.

After this first attack, many civilians fled to the Jaffey farm seeking protection. Eyewitness accounts indicate that the initial strike on the farm resulted in casualties among those sheltering there. Roughly 30 minutes later, a second strike targeted the area again, inflicting additional injuries and deaths among both those at the farm and civilians from nearby villages Alifow and Gaalgube, who had come to assist victims of the earlier assault.

On March 19, Somalia’s Ministry of Information released a statement via Facebook reporting that over 30 Al-Shabaab militants had been killed in Bagdad and Baldooska villages during operations conducted in collaboration with “international partners”. The statement included:

The operation was launched in response to intelligence reports indicating that Al-Shabaab fighters were gathering in these areas and planning an assault against the Somali people… 15 Al-Shabaab members were killed in an airstrike in Bagdad

— SNTV

It remains uncertain whether Turkish or Somali forces operated the TB-2 drone during the attacks on Jaffey farm. A Somali government source confirmed that personnel from the National Intelligence and Security Agency pilot TB-2 drones during combat missions against Al-Shabaab. However, in 2022, a UN Panel of Experts on Somalia reported that Turkey breached international sanctions by supplying armed drones to Somalia without notifying or obtaining approval from the United Nations.

The Turkish government maintains that it did not transfer drones to Somalia in violation of the UN arms embargo but instead directly operated them “in the fight against terrorism.” In 2022, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, then Somalia’s Interior Minister and now Foreign Minister, confirmed reports stating that while Turkish forces operate Baykar-manufactured armed drones, Somali commanders provide targeting information.

Turkey has been actively supporting Somalia’s federal government through military aid and equipment provision. Satellite images and videos authenticated by Amnesty International’s Crisis Evidence Lab confirm the presence of Turkish TB-2 drones at Mogadishu International Airport since at least September 12, 2022. Furthermore, Turkey has been involved in training Somalia’s "Gorgor" unit at Camp Turksom in Mogadishu. In February 2024, both countries enhanced their collaboration by signing a Defense and Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement.

Casualties

The airstrikes led to the loss of 23 civilian lives, among them 14 children, five women, and four men. In addition, 17 civilians sustained injuries, including 11 children, two women, and four men. Every victim was a member of the disadvantaged Gorgaarte clan.

These fatalities occurred following intense ground clashes earlier that day between Somali security forces and Al-Shabaab fighters near the Jambaluul and Bagdad villages.

Aftermath

On April 5, 2024, Amnesty International reached out to AFRICOM to inquire about the possible participation of US military in the March 18 operation targeting Al-Shabaab. As of the article’s publication, no reply had been received from AFRICOM.

On the same date, Amnesty International also sent formal requests for information to both the Somali and Turkish governments regarding the March 18 drone strike operation. The organization sought clarification on which military entities controlled the drones during the attacks. To date, neither government has issued a response.